$125 per hour simulator flight training ($50 for simulator and $75 for instruction)

$50 per hour flight simulator use after checkout

$190 Biennial Flight Review in pilot supplied aircraft (minimum time requirements – may take more than minimum, no aircraft rental)

$310 Biennial Flight Review in rental aircraft (minimum time requirements – may take more than minimum, with aircraft rental)

$20 per day temporary hanger storage for flight training or maintenance

$95 per hour or $800 per day (whichever is less) for maintenance. Travel time, any location $75./hour.

$800 per day for travel plus expenses, flight instruction and maintenance.

$750 per 100 hour/annual condition inspection (this does not include any maintenance/fixes or parts such as oil changes/carb sync/etc.).

NOTES:
If travel is involved for any service, expenses are additional.

* Includes aircraft, headsets, and fuel complete with no extra costs.
** Includes time from scheduled appointment/time of meeting to end of scheduled time/when the training session is complete and applicant leaves.
*** Includes headsets and fuel.

How much does it cost to get a sport pilot license?

This depends on several factors and can range between $4,000 and $11,000 for the TOTAL COST. Let’s look at the variables first to understand this large range.

Will you be learning in your own aircraft or renting one?

Will you be doing a concentrated course where you are flying every day until you get your license, will you be doing the optimum schedule of flying one day on and one day off, or will you be dragging it out by only flying on weekends or longer periods?

Do you have good study habits, motivated to study on your own or will you need someone to teach most or all the material?

How fast do you pick up the motor skills to control the aircraft?

NOTE:You must solo in your own trike. There is no student insurance for trikes. Plus, we cannot take the risk of a student banging up our trainer and shutting down operations. This is typical for most trike training operations throughout the US/world. Existing pilots with an FAA license transitioning to trikes do not have to solo to add trikes to their pilot certificate.

Overall, the costs to become sport pilot trike are less than half that of a private pilot airplane. It must be understood that these are realistic numbers, not something pared down to make it look inexpensive. Most “learn to fly for $2XXX” do not include the post-flight briefings, flight/ground school, FAA test fees or anything for training materials. Here we will provide the complete range of time and costs so you can be educated and compare.

What about Ultralight pilots for weight-shift control trikes ?

There are no time, training or FAA tests for a single place ultralight. However, the federal laws FAR Title 14 Part 103 require the non FAA licensed pilot to fly an ultralight with certain federal requirements for the safety of the general public which require significant education of the federal airspace and specific requirements to fly into some controlled federal airspace. For an ultralight pilot to think he/she is operating without any federal regulations this is a misnomer. FAR Part 103 or officially Title 14 CFR Part 103 specifies a number of federal regulations so some uneducated 103 pilot does not fly into a GA traffic, a commercial airliner or create a hazard to the general public. If you in a remote area this will not affect you much but in more congested airspace flying an ultralight, this is a big factor. No one wants to get hurt flying a trike. Simple.

Simply, if you are going to operate an ultralight in federal airspace, you need to know the laws that affect you, your family, your friends and the general public per Title 14 CFR Part 103.

If anyone thinks that those operating an ultralight are free from federal airspace regulations, think again. It is federal airspace and you must abide by the federal airspace laws.

Again, if you want to get qualified to fly an ultralight trike, it takes about half the time as a sport pilot and one quarter the time as a private pilot trike.

How long does it take to get a Sport Pilot License?

The range of flight hours varies greatly. We have had some get through with as little as 25 hours flight time. Others 70 hours of flight time. As discussed above, there are several factors. Let’s use an average of 35 hours of flight time. If we average 2.0 hours flight time per day this is about 18 days or between 2 to 3 weeks with good weather. Actual time depends on many factors, but with a concentrated course and good weather plan on 3 to 4 weeks to get it in one stay.

Sport Pilot License Accelerated Program

Step 1: You buy the student pilot training kit and you do all the homework for flight and ground lessons by following the training syllabus. This allows you to progress quickly and efficiently through your flight training and ground school. You pass the FAA knowledge test before you show up for flight training.

Step 2: You schedule your time slot for accelerated training . $1000/week deposit is required for this time slot for intensive training (see cancelation policy below).

Step 3: You show up here in Reno/Tahoe/Carson for 7 to 14 days concentrated flight and ground training. We get you proficient to solo.

Step 4: You obtain your student pilot certificate before you can solo. This takes about 2 to 3 weeks.

Step 5: Now that you are educated on trikes and ready to solo, you buy your own trike and we solo you in it. You can do this by bringing it here for us to checkout and fly, bring it to your own airport to solo, or find another recommended instructor to finish out your solo and cross country requirements. Many students fly to their hearts content and have a great time flying any time they want during this solo phase.

Step 6: You take your Practical Test/Checkride and you are a sport pilot.

It should be noted that sometime you need to be handed off to another flight instructor to provide the minimum 2 hours required flight time 60 days before the checkride of an instructor to recommend a student pilot for a checkride. This can be done for solo, right after solo or just before the checkride. This depends on the specific circumstances. If you come to Sport Aviation Center for the complete training package this may happen before, during, or after solo and sometimes just before the checkride. I have another trike/airplane CFI, Bob Harington who is an excellent CFI to train and get you ready for your checkride with this 2 hours requirement. We’ve got you covered!

Let’s look at the optimum situation using your own trike, with a concentrated course or optimum flying three days per week, you study everything to get through your three types of ground school, and you have great motor skills to have the minimum flight hours required for the license. This is not typical but provided as the minimum for comparisons with other programs.

If you take out what most schools do not include, training materials, FAA knowledge test and checkride this would total the $2000 to $3000 some schools advertise. We are going to include all training costs in our comparisons since this is part of your overall cost.

Task or item

time

cost

total

Student Pilot Kit

$360

Flight/Hobbs time CFI

15

$130

$1950

Flight brief/debrief and ground school lesson review CFI

15

$75

$1125

Solo flight time

5 to 15 hours

use own aircraft

fuel costs

Solo flight ground instruction CFI

2

$75

$150

Ground school for the aeronautical flight, knowledge test and Checkride CFI

40

$75

self study

FAA Knowledge Test

$150

Checkride

$470

Totals

$4205

Let’s look at the optimum situation where you rent the trike for dual training, with a concentrated course or optimum flying three days per week, you study everything to get through your three types of ground school, and you have great motor skills to have the minimum flight hours required for the license. Note that you buy a trike for your solo and checkride.

Task or item

time

cost

total

Student Pilot Kit

$360

Flight/Hobbs time CFI and Aircraft

15

$195

$2925

Flight brief/debrief and groundschool lesson review CFI

15

$75

$1,125

Solo flight time

5 to 15 hours

use own aircraft

Solo flight ground instruction CFI

2

$75

$150

Ground school for the aeronautical flight, knowledge test and Checkride

40

$75

seff study

FAA Knowledge Test

$150

Checkride

$470

Totals

$5180

Let’s look at the extended situation where you rent the trike for dual training, with an extended training schedule not flying constantly and/or having to go back and repeat flight tasks as needed and/or it takes more time than the minimum to get through which is typical. You do not study much and require an additional 40 hours of ground time to get through your three types of ground school. Note that you buy a trike for solo. This will cause sticker shock but notice the $2000 for the ground school you can study on your own.

Task or item

time

cost

total

Student Pilot Kit

$360

Flight/Hobbs time CFI

25

$195

$4875

Flight brief/debrief and groundschool lesson review CFI

25

$75

$1875

Solo flight time

10 to 20 hours

N/A

use your own trike

Solo flight ground instruction CFI

3

$75

$225

Ground school for the aeronautical flight, knowledge test and Checkride CFI

40

$75

$3000

FAA Knowledge Test

$150

Checkride

$470

Totals

$10,955

Overall, there is a wide range of total costs in getting a sport pilot WSC trike certificate. With a little planning you can minimize the costs.
24 Hour Cancellation Policy

When you book a reservation you are reserving a time slot specifically for you. Sport Aviation Center LLC arranges all other bookings around your reserved time slot. If you will be unable to honor your reservation, you must call and talk with us to let us know at least 24 hours in advance so we can book someone else for this valuable time slot. If you call and talk to us before your flight within 24 hours to cancel your scheduled flight, we must bill you for 50% of your flight’s cost. If you do not call to cancel within 24 hours of your scheduled flight and we are mobilized/scheduled waiting for you, and you do not show up, we must bill you for the full amount. Your scheduled time slot is valuable and can be used by other customers so please call to cancel as soon as possible to avoid charges. We appreciate your understanding.

Accelerated Course Deposit and Cancellation Policy

We require $1000 deposit for each week of scheduled time for accelerated training so secure the aircraft and instructor. This $1000/week goes towards your flight and ground training time when you are doing your training. When you book time for an accelerated course you are reserving this valuable time slot (aircraft and instructor) specifically for you. Sport Aviation Center LLC arranges all other bookings around your reserved time slot. If you are unable to honor your reservation, you must call and talk with us 775.772 8232 (no e-mail or text) to let us know at least 1 week in advance so we can book someone else for this valuable time slot and you can reschedule at that time. If you cancel or reschedule within this 1 week period before your first scheduled time the $1000/week deposit for the first week is nonrefundable. Your scheduled time slot is valuable and can be used by other customers so please call to cancel or reschedule as soon as possible. We appreciate your understanding.